HOLDER FOR A DOOR OR CASEMENT
The present invention relates to a holder for at least one of a door and a casement. The at least one of the door and the casement is hingedly connected to a frame. The holder includes an elongate member assembly moveable from a retracted position to an extended position. The elongate member assembly has a pair of spaced-apart ends. The holder includes a pair of clamp assemblies pivotally connected to respective ones of the ends of the elongate member assembly. The clamp assemblies are configured to selectively couple with the frame and the at least one of the door and the casement.
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The present invention relates to a holder. In particular, the invention relates to a door or casement holder.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ARTU.S. Pat. No. 2,398,602 to Sibley discloses a telescopic door holder in which all the operating parts are concealed and which is free from all projecting arms, handles, brackets and like parts, which constitute elements of construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,078 to Meriwether Jr. discloses an adjustable support apparatus for temporarily supporting a door frame or the like in a fixed relationship with one or more fixed supports suitably spaced therefrom, comprising: an elongated brace assembly including first and second telescoping members movable between contracted and extended positions and a setting device for fixing the first and second members in one of the contracted and extended positions; a first connector assembly at one end of the brace assembly adapted for removable attachment to a door frame; and a second connector assembly at the other end of the brace assembly adapted for removable attachment to one of the fixed supports.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTIONThere is accordingly provided, and it is an object to provide, an improved door/casement holder. The holder includes a length-adjustable elongate member assembly having a pair of spaced-apart ends. The holder includes a pair of clamp assemblies pivotally coupled to the ends of the elongate member assembly. Each clamp assembly includes an inner jaw positioned adjacent to a respective said end of the elongate member assembly.
There is also a holder for at least one of a door and a casement. The at least one of the door and the casement is hingedly connected to a frame. The holder includes an elongate member assembly moveable from a retracted position to an extended position. The elongate member assembly has a pair of spaced-apart ends. The holder includes a pair of clamp assemblies pivotally connected to respective ones of the ends of the elongate member assembly. The clamp assemblies are configured to selectively couple with the frame and the at least one of the door and the casement.
There is further provided a clamp assembly. The assembly includes a bar having a first end and a second end. The assembly includes a first jaw coupled to the first end of the bar. The assembly includes a second jaw positioned between the first end and the second end of the bar. The assembly includes a lever, actuation of which incrementally moves the second jaw towards the first jaw. The lever extends generally parallel to the bar.
The invention will be more readily understood from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof given, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring to the drawings and first to
As seen in
The elongate member assembly 26 includes an outer, second tube 34 which is telescopically coupled to the first tube 32. The second tube extends from end 30 towards end 28 of the elongate member assembly. The second tube 34 has in this example a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart apertures 48, 50 and 52 shaped to receive respective ones of the rounded projections 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46.
Actuation of or pushing in the rounded projections 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46 enables the first tube 32 to be received within the second tube 34, with the elongate member assembly 26 thus being moveable from a retracted position seen in
As seen in
Each of the clamp assemblies pivotally couples to the elongate member assembly via in this example at least one ball joint, and in this case via a pair of ball joints. In this embodiment, there are four sets 58, 64, 72 and 78 of balls and sockets. In particular, the holder 20 includes a first one of the first set 58 of a ball and a socket, in this example a socket 60 coupled to end 28 of the elongate member assembly. The holder includes a second one of the first set of the ball and the socket, in this example ball 62 pivotally connecting to and partially received within socket 60. The holder 20 includes a first one of the second set 64 of a ball and a socket, in this example a socket 66 coupled to ball 62 of first set 58 via elongate rod 68. The holder includes a second one of the second set 64 of the ball and the socket, in this example ball 70 pivotally connecting to and receiving socket 66. Ball 70 couples to clamp assembly 54 via an outer elongate member, in this example shaft 71.
The holder 20 includes a first one of the third set 72 of a ball and a socket, in this example socket 74 coupled to end 30 of the elongate member assembly 26. The holder includes a second one of the third set 72 of the ball and the socket, in this example ball 76 pivotally connecting to and received within socket 74. The holder 20 includes a first one of a fourth set 78 of the ball and a socket, in this example socket 80 coupled to ball 76 via elongate rod 82. The holder includes a second one of the fourth set 78 of the ball and the socket, in this example ball 84 pivotally connecting to and receiving socket 80. Ball 84 couples to clamp assembly 56 via an outer elongate member, in this example shaft 73. The elongate member assembly 26 thus pivotally connects to and extends between shafts 71 and 73.
As seen in
Each clamp assembly 54 includes an actuation member or dial 100 rotatably mounted to side portion 88. Rotation of the dial causes the threaded members 96 and 98 to move towards retracted or extended positions. The dial 100 is used to lock the extendable portion of the clamp assembly which is located on the horizontal base. This function will allow for a much deeper door frame/window frame to be fitted between the jaw clamp.
As seen in
In this manner and referring to
In particular, the elongate member assembly 26.1 comprises a plurality of telescoping tube segments 32.1, 34.1, 118, and 120 each of which is releasable, retractable or extendable and lockable in place via the actuation of a plurality of quick-release mechanisms 122, 124 and 126. Each quick release mechanism includes a lever 123 pivotally coupled to an end 125 of its respective tube segment 34.1 via pivot point 127. Each tube segment 32.1 has a longitudinally-extending opening, in this example an elongate slit 129 which extends longitudinally from end 125 thereof. The lever 123 has an open position, shown in dotted lines, in which adjacent tube segments 32.1 and 34.1 are moveable relative to each other and in which the lever is angled and in this example perpendicular to its tube segment 34.1 in this example. Each lever is moveable from its open position to a closed or locked position, shown in solid lines, in which the lever extends along and adjacent to its tube segment.
Each quick release mechanism 122 is configured to narrow the slit 129 of its respective tube segment 34.1 so as to frictionally engage adjacent tube segment 32.1 when the lever 123 has been actuated to its locked position. Put another way, each lever is configured such that selective actuation of the lever causes the effective cross-sectional area of the adjacent end 125 of the tube segment to which the lever is mounted to reduce, thereby functioning to clamp said end about adjacent tube segment 32.1. In this manner the length of the elongate member assembly 26.2 is selectively adjustable.
In particular, the elongate member assembly 26.2 comprises a rotatable member 128 positioned adjacent to the distal end 130 of tube 34.2. Selective actuation of the rotatable member 128 causes the effective cross-sectional area of the distal end 130 to reduce, thereby functioning to clamp said end about tube 32.2. In this manner, positioning of the tubes 32.2 and 34.2 relatively to each other may be selectively adjustable and thereafter fixed in place.
The clamp assembly 54.3 includes a pair of rods 102.3 and 104.3 slidably extendable through apertures 103.3 and 105.3 of respective ones of the side portions 88.3 and 90.3 of the clamp member. Each clamp assembly includes a pair of resilient members, in this example coil springs 132 and 134. Each spring extends about one of the rods 102.3 and 104.3. Each spring 132 has an outer end 136 abutting one of the side portions 88.3 of the clamp assembly 54.3, and an inner end 138 abutting a respective one of jaws 110.3 of the clamp member. The jaws 110.3 and 112.3 are thus spring-biased towards each other.
The clamp assembly 54.3 is thus spring-biased towards its closed position. The grippable ends 107 and 109 can be selectively pulled away from the side portions 88.3 and 90.3 of the clamp member, the clamp assembly is next positioned around a door/casement or frame, and the grippable ends are next released, with springs 132 and 134 thereafter moving the jaws 110.3 and 112.3 to abut against the door/casement or frame.
As seen in
Side portion 90.4 includes a handle 146 for selectively spacing/pulling-apart side portion 90.4 of the clamp assembly 54.4 from side portion 88.4 of the clamp assembly towards an open position of the clamp assembly when positioning the clamp assemblies to receive the door/casement and frame. Thereafter, the handle is released and the holder 20.4 clamps onto the door/casement and frame thereby.
As seen in
As seen in
The clamp assemblies 54.6 and 56.6 are pivotally coupled to the ends 28.6 and 30.6 of the elongate member assembly 26.6 in this example via universal joints 158 and 160. As seen in
As seen in
As seen in
The outer side portion 90.6 of each clamp assembly 56.6 is coupled to the second end 178 of its bar 174 in this example. Outer jaw 112.6 is thus coupled to the second end of the bar. The inner side portion 88.6 of each clamp assembly 56.6 is selectively moveable along and relative thereto the bar 174 between the first end 176 and the second end 178 of the bar. Inner jaw 110.6 is thus positioned between the first end and second end of the bar.
As seen in
Referring back to
As seen in
Referring to
The trigger plate is spring-biased towards a non-tilted position seen in
Referring to
Many advantages result from the structure of the present invention. For example, the invention is compact and portable on the one hand, while also being configured to accommodate existing doors and windows of a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
The clamp assemblies as herein described are shaped to support large lateral forces resulting from closers and wind loading in addition to the in-line clamping forces. This lateral loading may be much larger than the direct clamping load. For example, the clamp assemblies 56.6 to 56.8 provide universal joints adjacent to the clamp surfaces thereof, with bars 174.6 to 174.8 separate from the load bearing elongate member assembly 26.6 to 26.8. The holder so shaped and described may result in the force holding the door or casement open being closer to the clamping surface, thereby inhibiting larger bending movements in the bodies of the clamp assemblies. This may result in a more robust and compact holder that may be manufactured in an economic manner.
The holder as herein described may greatly benefit the Service/Food/Retail Industry, Moving/Transportation Industry, Trades/Constructions/Renovations Industry, Parcel & Package Delivery Industry and residential users. The need to keep exterior/interior building doors open for a short or long period of time will always be here and the need for an effective doorstop will only keep growing. Often times, exterior doors and common place firewall doors are too heavy and difficult to keep open with any of the traditional door stoppers in the market. Additionally, the gap between the bottom of the door and the ground/floor is too large and/or too slippery for door wedges of any kind to work. None of these options are efficient and/or safe. For many years, people continue to use ineffective doorstops that can at best only keep doors slightly ajar. Some resort to using cinder blocks, heavy large objects/furniture, door hinge wedges that damage doors or cardboard to jam the hinges of a door, but in the end everyone is left frustrated with the process. This why the casement/door holder was created: as a solution to a problem many have been facing for decades. The two end jaw clamps are designed to safely and securely grip the door and the door frame. The telescopic rod-in-rod that connects the two jaw clamps, can be extended to achieve a larger door opening in order to clear a safe pathway with nothing to trip or stub toes on. The holder may eliminate the frustration with doors closing shut and the time wasted searching for something to jam the hinge.
No matter if there is a truckload of boxes to be delivered to clients or if it is the day of a move, the holder as herein described is a reliable doorstop needed to efficiently get the job done: a quick in and out with the added bonus that it will not damage doors and/or door frames. While the available doorstops in the market may stop doors from fully closing, their biggest shortcoming is not being able to keep doors in a fully opened position, rendering the tool useless to the user with a goal to create an open and clear pathway. The automatic door closing mechanism that exist on most commercial building doors may add too much force on door stoppers, causing them to buckle and/or break under prolong force stress in keeping doors open. These doorstops are quite inefficient and unsafe, not to mention the damage they cause to door frames, doors and the user. The holder has herein described is built to withstand the force placed on it by door closers. On the plus side, the holder can be used for windows that do not have a functioning window stay to effectively keep it open due to wind or window style. cl Additional Description
Examples of door/casement holders have been described. The following clauses are offered as further description.
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- (1) A holder for at least one of a door and a casement, the at least one of the door and the casement being hingedly connected to a frame, and the holder comprising: an elongate member assembly moveable from a retracted position to an extended position, the elongate member assembly having a pair of spaced-apart ends; and a pair of clamp assemblies pivotally connected to respective ones of said ends of the elongate member assembly, the clamp assemblies being configured to selectively couple with the frame and the at least one of the door and the casement.
- (2) The holder of clause 1 wherein the elongate member assembly comprises a first tube and a second tube telescopically coupled to the first tube.
- (3) The holder of clause 2 wherein the elongate member assembly includes a locking mechanism, actuation of which inhibits movement of the first tube relative to the second tube.
- (4) The holder of clause 1 wherein each of the clamp assemblies couples to the elongate member assembly via at least one ball joint.
- (5) The holder of clause 1 wherein each of the clamp assemblies couples to the elongate member assembly via a pair of ball joints.
- (6) The holder of clause 1 wherein each of the clamp assemblies has an open position and is spring-biased towards a closed position.
- (7) The holder of clause 1 wherein each of the clamp assemblies is U-shaped and includes a pair of threaded screws, actuation of which moves the clamp assembly from an unclamped position to a clamped position.
- (8) The holder of clause 1 wherein each of the clamp assemblies includes a length-adjustable base assembly and a pair of side portions coupled to and extending outwards from spaced-apart ends of the base assembly.
- (9) The holder of clause 8 wherein each of the clamp assemblies includes a pair of thumb screws, each extending through a respective one of the side portions of the clamp assemblies, whereby each said clamp assembly is clamped in place via actuation of said thumb screws.
- (10) The holder of clause 8 wherein each of the clamp assemblies includes a pair of jaws positioned between the side portions thereof, the jaws being spring-biased towards each other.
- (11) The holder of clause 8 wherein each of the clamp assemblies includes a pair of rods slidably extendable through respective ones of the side portions of the clamp assemblies, each said rod having an outer hand-grippable end and an inner end, wherein each of the clamp assemblies includes a pair of jaws coupled to respective ones of the inner ends of the rods, the jaws being positioned between the side portions of the clamp assemblies, and wherein each of the clamp assemblies includes a pair of resilient members, each said resilient member extending about a respective one of the rods, having an outer end abutting a respective one of the side portions, and having an inner end abutting a respective one of the jaws, the jaws being spring-biased towards each other.
- (12) The holder of clause 1 wherein each said clamp assembly is U-shaped and includes a threaded screw actuation of which moves the clamp assembly from an unclamped position to a clamped position.
- (13) The holder of clause 1 wherein each said clamp assembly is U-shaped and includes a pair of side portions, a first of the side portions being spring-biased towards a second of the side portions.
- (14) The holder of clause 13 wherein each said first of the side portions of the clamp assemblies includes a handle for selectively spacing-apart the first of the side portions from the second of the side portions of the clamp assemblies.
- (15) The holder of clause 1 further including a first one of a first set of a ball and a socket coupled to a first said end of the elongate member assembly, a second one of the first set of the ball and the socket pivotally connecting to the first one of the first set of the ball and the socket, a first one of a second set of a ball and a socket coupled to the second one of the first set of the ball and the socket, a second one of the second set of the ball and the socket pivotally connecting to the first one of the second set of the ball and the socket, the second one of the second set of the ball and the socket coupling to a first said clamp member, a first one of a third set of a ball and a socket coupled to a second said end of the elongate member assembly, a second one of the third set of the ball and the socket pivotally connecting to the first one of the third set of the ball and the socket, a first one of a fourth set of a ball and a socket coupled to the second one of the third set of the ball and the socket, and a second one of the fourth set of the ball and the socket pivotally connecting to the first one of the fourth set of the ball and the socket, the second one of the fourth set of the ball and the socket coupling to a second said clamp member.
- (16) In combination, a door and the holder of any preceding clause.
- (17) In combination, a casement and the holder of any preceding clause.
It will be appreciated that many variations are possible within the scope of the invention described herein. It will also be understood by someone skilled in the art that many of the details provided above are by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is to be determined with reference to the following claims.
Claims
1. A door/casement holder comprising:
- a length-adjustable elongate member assembly having a pair of spaced-apart ends; and
- a pair of clamp assemblies pivotally coupled to said ends of the elongate member assembly, each said clamp assembly including an inner jaw positioned adjacent to a respective said end of the elongate member assembly.
2. The holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein the clamp assemblies pivotally couple to said ends of the elongate member assembly via universal joints and wherein each said inner jaw is adjacent to a respective said universal joint.
3. The holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongate member assembly has a longitudinal axis extending between the ends thereof, wherein each said clamp assembly includes an outer jaw and has a longitudinal axis extending between the jaws thereof, and wherein the clamp assemblies have non-rotated positions in which the longitudinal axes thereof align with the longitudinal axis of the elongate member assembly.
4. The holder as claimed in claim 1 further including a pair of spaced-apart outer elongate members, the length-adjustable elongate member pivotably coupling to and extending between said outer elongate members, and the inner jaws coupling to distal ends of the outer elongate members.
5. The holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the clamp assemblies includes an outer jaw and a trigger mechanism for selectively moving the outer jaw towards the inner jaw thereof.
6. The holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said clamp assembly includes an outer jaw that is moveable relative to the inner jaw thereof.
7. The holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the clamp assemblies includes an outer side portion, an outer jaw coupled to said outer side portion, an inner side portion to which the inner jaw is coupled, and a bar to which the outer side portion is coupled and relative to which the inner side portion is selectively moveable along, the bar being spaced-apart from the elongate member assembly.
8. The holder as claimed in claim 7 wherein the elongate member assembly has a longitudinal axis, wherein the bar has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the clamp assemblies have non-rotated positions in which the longitudinal axes of the bars are offset from and extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member assembly.
9. The holder as claimed in claim 7 wherein each said clamp assembly includes a locking member which is biased to inhibit movement of the outer jaw thereof relative to the inner jaw thereof and actuation thereof enables the outer side portion thereof to be readily moveable relative to the inner side portion thereof.
10. The holder as claimed in claim 7 wherein each said clamp assembly includes a locking member, the locking member having a first portion with an aperture extending therethrough to receive the bar, the locking member having a second portion resiliently coupled to the inner side portion, wherein the second portion of the locking member is biased towards a tilted position relative to the bar in which portions of the locking member adjacent to said aperture abut the bar and inhibit movement of the outer jaw, and wherein actuation of the locking member towards a non-tilted position enables the outer side portion to be readily moveable relative to the inner side portion.
11. The holder as claimed in claim 7 wherein each said clamp assembly includes a locking mechanism being biased to inhibit movement of the outer side portion relative to the inner side portion and wherein each said clamp assembly includes a trigger mechanism, actuation of which disengages the locking mechanism and enables incremental movement of the outer side portion towards the inner side portion.
12. The holder as claimed in claim 10 wherein each said clamp assembly includes a trigger mechanism, actuation of which moves the locking member from said tilted position to said non-tilted position and enables incremental movement of the outer side portion towards the inner side portion.
13. The holder as claimed in claim 11 wherein each said trigger mechanism includes an actuation lever pivotable relative to its said bar and which, when unactuated, extends generally parallel to its corresponding said bar.
14. The holder as claimed in claim 7 further including a pair of storage brackets, each bracket having a first end that selectively couples to the elongate member assembly and a second end that selectively couples to a respective one of the bars of the clamp assemblies when the holder is not in use.
15. A clamp assembly comprising:
- a bar having a first end and a second end;
- a first jaw coupled to the first end of the bar;
- a second jaw positioned between the first end and the second end of the bar; and
- a lever, actuation of which incrementally moves the second jaw towards the first jaw, the lever generally extending parallel to the bar.
16. The clamp assembly as claimed in claim 15 including a locking member biased towards a tilted position in which portions thereof abut the bar and inhibit movement of the second jaw relative to the first jaw, and a trigger member operatively connected to the lever, the trigger member being biased towards a non-tilted position that enables movement of the second jaw relative to the first jaw.
17. The clamp assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein the locking member and the trigger member extend in opposite directions relative to each other.
18. The clamp assembly as claimed in claim 16 wherein actuation of the lever causes the trigger member to move towards a tilted position, which causes at least a portion of the trigger member to abut the bar, and which in turn both causes the locking member to move towards a non-tilted position and causes the first jaw to move incrementally towards the second jaw.
19. A holder for at least one of a door and a casement, the at least one of the door and the casement being hingedly connected to a frame, and the holder comprising:
- an elongate member assembly moveable from a retracted position to an extended position, the elongate member assembly having a pair of spaced-apart ends; and
- a pair of clamp assemblies pivotally connected to respective ones of said ends of the elongate member assembly, the clamp assemblies being configured to selectively couple with the frame and the at least one of the door and the casement.
20. In combination, the holder as claimed in claim 19 and one of a door and a casement.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 12, 2018
Publication Date: Apr 18, 2019
Applicant: (Burnaby)
Inventor: Ms. Si Nenh D'Souza (Burnaby)
Application Number: 16/159,209